A SOUTH AFRICAN VISITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 3698, 27 January 1925, Page 5

A SOUTH AFRICAN VISITOR.

SOME IMPRESSIONS. Mrs F. Sharman, of'Johannesburg, South Africa, who, with her husband, has been paying a visit to Dunedin, kindly consented to grant an interview to a representative of the Otago Daily Times. Mrs Sharman, who is a great Imperialist and a worker on behalf of women's rights, is broadminded, and take 3 an intelligent interest in South African politics. She is also a fluent speaker. “I was bom in London,' said Mrs Sharman, “and when quite young heard what a beautiful place New Zealand was, and I longed most ardently to visit this far end of the Empire. Fate decreed, however, that I should go to South Africa. There I met my husband, who was born in Christchurch. That was a step towards the realisation of my dreams, and now that I am here the dominion comes up to my expectations. New Zealand is indeed a Wonderland—so much in little. My impression is that the people are far too modest about it. In my opinion what is wanted is a Zane Gray or Gertrude Page to set to music—to sing the praises, so to speak, of the glories and wonders of this marvellous country. “On our return to South Africa I shall delight in telling our friends there all about this wondrously beautiful outpost of the Empire. We have collected a number of books of views, descriptive and otherwise, wherewith to refresh our memory. “The Hot Lakes district is awe-inspiring, and we were reluctant to leave it, so enthralled were we. Then, again, the West Coast, the Buller Gorge, the Franz Josef Glacier, the lovely lakes, and that thrill of thrills, the Skipper’s Drive—words fail me, only an artist or poet could describe or depict them. “As to Dunedin itself we are delighted with the place. The station impressed us the moment we alighted from tho train. There is a dignity about the town that is simply charming. The harbour is delightful, and the bush so close at hand. The scenery generally holds one. We came for a few days, but feel like staying for a season. Unfortunately w© cannot do this as we have to accomplish our ‘round the world tour’ in 12 months.” Mr and Mrs Sharman left South Africa last June, and have paid visits to the Old Country, France, and Switzerland, then on to Canada and America, and have yet to do Australia before returning to their “Land of Sunshine.” Continuing, Mrs Sharman said that after an absence of 22 years she was Ixswildered at the grpat. changes that had taken place in England. “One thing impressed me painfullv—the amount of drinking that is indulged in. Prohibition! you sav? Yes. but is that going to remedy the evif? Personally I do not think so, because with prohibition other vices come into being. It does not, appear to l>e a perfect success in America. There, as you are doubtless aware, there is a tremendous amount of illicit liquor dealing, most of the stuff being of a poisonous nature, and vory detrimental 1o health. One hoars of a juoge sentencing a man for bootlegging (as it is termed in America), while he (the judge) has all he desires in the wav of strong drink! Oh! upright judge! Still, a wav must be found to deal with this curse. Oh! that the right way- could he found! Tn Canada they have State Control. which seems to answer fairly well.

“The American women are great worker* in reform matters, and aa far as I could gather during my visit there are very keen on using their vote to the best possible advantage. You probably know that we women in South Africa havo not yet got the franchise. The Bill was defeated by just one vote. In spite of that faot. the duuuiuHtiiyybutfii

arena, and work hard at election time. I am proud of the fact that I belong to the Women’s South African Party. Not only have we the men’s association and the women’s, but less than three years ago a very public-spirited man and his wife, Mr and Mrs T. F. Allen, of Johannesburg, started a Junior South African Party. So now our sons and daughters are being trained, and when the time arrives that they are old enough to record their votes they will be able to do so seriously and intelligently. Although such a short time since their inception, the juniors are a very strong force all ever the union. And every member of the South African Party—seniors and juniors—are proud to have for their leader such a great and good man as General Smuts, who, with the late General Botha, did so much towards piloting tho ship of State safely into port during the days oi the Great War. If the present Government under General Hertzog proceeds along the same lines it will not go far wrong. “ Mrs Smuts takes a great interest in and works very hard on behalf of the Women’s South African Party, and she has done much to bring about a better understanding between the Dutch and English.

" There is a great future for South Africa, if we can all pull together. Though I am very enamoured with New Zealand, I am* still loyal to the land of my adoption. No half measures with South Africa—one either hates or loves it. I do the latter. As the late Gertrude Page wrote: ‘When the kopjes take hold of you they never let go.’ “Our home is in Johannesburg, which is very cosmopolitan, and rather volcanic. Of course, I do not mean literally ; but we are so often having strikes. The memory of the last one, that ended in red revolt-, will linger painfully in the memory of all who were involved. But for the prompt and splendid action of General Smuts, who at great personal risk came from Capetown, where Parliament was sitting and quickly brought order out of chaos, the Rand, extending over 90 miles, would havo been literally a bath of blood.

“That is the reason why our women are working harder than ever at election time. If they can do anything to prevent these disturbances they will. At the riot mentioned the natives behaved splendidly, remaining perfectly quiet in their compounds, although the firebrands tried their best to provoke them. The Bolshevists had got hold of such inflammable material that there is no knowing where the trouble would have ended.

"That brings me to my point: women who havo the vote should exercise it to the best of their ability. The judicious use of it will go a long way to prevent war in the future. It is very wrong for anyone to say: ‘Oh, my vote doesn’t count; the candidate will get in without my help.’ I know of cases where the successful man has got in by only two votes !” “In Johannesburg there is a Women’s Revolver Club, and some of the members are remarkable shots. Being able to shoot gives one a feeling of safety, as we are outnumbered by about eight to one by the natives, and if. there is any trouble, industrial, or otherwise, there is a certain amount of fear. But the club was formed as much for sport r.s to protect ourselves. The club is under the auspices of the Legion of Frontiersmen.

“The cost of living in Johannesburg compares well with that of England. Drapery goods are far more costly there than in South Africa. In the towns women dress very fashionably, especially at race meetings and public functions. Some of the women ‘paint up,’ and one feels rather sad at the sight of really attractive girlish faces marred by the crude way in which they are ‘made up.’ If it were put on in an artistic manner it would not look so bad—but there I suppose I am old-fashioned! Anyway we have some splendid girls, and they all worked very hard during the war. L am sure there are many Australians, as well as New Zealanders, who, calling at Capetown or DuHban during the war period, will ever remember how kind hospitable were the women of those towns, more particularly those of Durban. A New Zealander whom we met at Queenstown told u s that on his return from active service the boat called at Durban, remaining there for a week. His impression, shared by many others, was t-hat Durban was the most beautiful colonial town he had ever seen. So many tourists from Australia as well as from New Zealand go to Honolulu and then on to San Francisco or Los Angeles. Most delightful—but why not visit a sister dominion? Sunny South Africa lias quite aa much to offer the tourist as America. The four provinces—Cape Colony, Natal, Free State, and Transvaal—are all attractive in their respective ways. Fruit farms in the colony, sugar and cotton in Natal besides the gold reef. We have citrus fruits, cotton, and tobacco in the Transvaal. I admit the farmers have a lot to contend with—droughts, locusts, etc.,—but they bear up manfully and do not get downhearted—or not so that you would notice. “Surely I am tiring you with all this talk,” concluded Mrs Sharman, “but there is so much one could say. All t.h e colonies, or dominions, or whatever you like to cali them, are all sisters —being children of Great Britain, and should always remember this. I think if the dominions could know each other a little better it would most certainly be for our mutual good—it would also go a long way towards strengthening that to which we are so proud to belong, and which we are out to serve—the British Empire.”